Hoisting-block



F. E. GOATES.

HOISTING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JANv 29. I919.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

INVENTOR Hunk E. Loazes BY wk? ATTORNEYS operating jaw clutch UNITD STATESPATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. GOAT'ES, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, -ASSIGNOR 0F 0NE*SIXTH TO CHAS. E. BEUGLER AND ONE-SIXTH CALIFORNIA.

TO C. H. BOARDM'AN, BOTH OF OAKLAND,

HOISTING-BLOCK.

Patented J an. 20, 1920.

Application filed January 29, 1919. Serial'No. 273,696.v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. COATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hoisting-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hoisting block to be used in conjunction with cranes, der ricks and hoisting tackle in, general.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a block containing a pair of sheaves, one of which is constantly rotated when lifting or lowering a load, while the other is only intermittently rotated, and in conjunction therewith to provide means for automatically transmittingpower from the constantly driven sheave to revolve the intermittently rotated sheave when this'is operated. ing the intermittently rotated sheave against rotation when not driven, manually operated to release the sheave. Further objectswill hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination andarrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hoisting block, partly broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a detail section on the line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3' is a central vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a crane showing the application of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates the hoisting block in general, 2 the exterior block plates and 3 an intermediate plate. These plates are secured together by the usual form of shackle bolt 4 supporting a shackle 5 and a becket bolt 6 supporting a shackle and becket 7. J ournaled in the plates 2 and 3 is a sheave pin 8 and keyed to the pin, as at 9, is a main driving sheave 10. Loosely or .turnably mounted on the pin is a second sheave l1 and keyed to the pin, as at 12, between the intermediate plate 3 and the sheave 11, is a jaw clutch 13 Formed on the hub section of the sheave 11 on the face adjacent the clutch 13 is a c0- 1 a d a pt d. t

Another object of the invention 'is to provide means for automatically locksaid means being I force the clutch members into interlocking position is a coiled spring 15. Secured at one end to the sheave 11' is a cable section 16, on the lower end of which is secured a hook 17 Secured on the cable at suitable intervals is a pair-of collars 18 and 19, the function of which will hereinafter be described. Secured to the becket 7 is a short section of cable, such as shown at 20, and suitably. se-

' cured on the lower end of vsaid cable is a hook. clamp Slidably mounted in a guideway 22 formed on the inner 'block plate 3 is a cam member 23, and attached to said cam member is an extending arm 24: on the outer end of which is formed an eye 25 through which the cable 16 passes.

Pivotally mounted, as at 26, on one of the outer block plates 2 is. a pawl 27. end of this pawl is adapted to engage teeth 28 formed on the side of the sheave 11, while theopposite end of the pawl is provided withahandle extension 29 which engages 'a coiled spring ing the function V of retaining the pawl in constant engagementwith the ratchet teeth 28.

The present type of hoistingblock is designed for handling iron or steel plates of large dimensions, for instance, such plates as are used in the construction of ship hulls, boilers and the like. These plates often exceed such dimensions as 8X16 and they are therefore difficult to handle. It is common practiceto stack these large plates in racks and when removing ploy an ordinary block and hook which en- 30, this spring SBIV".

The inner ratchet the same for use to emgages the upper edge of the plate. The- I plate can thus only be lifted vertically out of the rack and is then swung or carried to the place where it is to be punched, shaped or otherwise treated. Large horses are generally employed for the reception of the plates and the greatest difficulty encountered is the placing of the large plates upon the horses when releasing them from the lifting tackle.

As previously stated, the ordinary tackle employed holds the plate in a vertical position. The plate therefore when lowered down on the horses presents a sharp edge which not only cuts and otherwise destroys the horses, butit often necessitates theuse of crowbars or other tools to swing the releasing the same, as they must assume a horizontal position. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hoisting block which permits the plates to assume a horizontal position when they are lifted out of the racks. This is of importance as they present a minimum of surface if a strong wind is blowing and it also renders it comparatively easy to place the plates upon the horses, due to the fact that they are already in a horizontal position before released, and, furthermore, without destroying the horses as previously mentioned.

This is accomplished in the following manner: By referring to Fig. 4, if it is desired to remove a large plate from a rack it is only necessary to swing the hoisting block into position over the rack. The block is then lowered until the clamping hooks 21 may be engaged with the upper edge of the plate. The hooks 17 carried by the cable 16 after the plate has been slightly lifted engage with the lower edge of the plate and the hoisting operation is continued. This engagement of the hook 17 causes the plate to swing to a horizontal position, such as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 41, as rotary movement is transmitted to the sheave 11 during the first part of the hoisting operation and the sheave 11 is then automatically released and rotation of the same stopped when the horizontal position is reacehd. The plate after assuming a horizontal position may then be further elevated and can furthermore be conveyed by the crane to the horses provided for its reception and it can there be readily positioned and released, due to the fact that it is already assuming a horizontal position, the hooks 17 and 21 being removled the moment the plate is placed so that the crane may swing back for further operation.

The automatic disengagement of the sheave 11 from the sheave 10 is accomplished in the following manner: After a plate has been lifted by a hoisting block to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 4C the collar 18 on the cable 16 strikes the arm 25 carried by the wedge 23. The wedge is therefore lifted upwardly and thereby engages the outer rim of the sheave 11 and forces the same away from the clutch 13 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The driving connection between the sheaves 10 and 11 is thus broken the moment a horizontal position is assumed as the collar 18 automatically performs the function. The sheave 11 would now, due to the load imposed upon the same, revolve in the opposite direction as it is free on the pin 8, but this is not permitted as the pawl 27 will instantly engage the ratzhet teeth and thus lock it against reverse movement.

The sheave 11 therefore remains stationary while the crane is being swung or moved to the point where the plate is to be placed and the sheave cannot be released until the plate is released and placed in position. The hooks 17, after being disengaged from the plate and the cable 16 attached thereto, may be unwound with relation 'to the sheave 11 when the operator manually depresses the lever 29 carried by the latch 27. This release of the pawl permits the operator to pull on the cable 16 and unreel it. This unreeling of the cable finally brings the inner collar 19 into engagement with the arm 24 and thereby pulls the cam 23 in a downward direction or away from the sheave. A spring 15 will then force the sheave laterally into engagement with the clutch 13 and thus lock the sheave so that it will rotate in unison with the driving sheave 10 when a load is again lifted. The operation of throwing the sheave 11 into or out of driving position is therefore automatically taken care of either when liftinga load or when unreeling the cable 16 to permit the hook 17 to engage a new load.

While the sheave 10 is here shown as keyed to the sheave pin 8, I Wish it understood that it may be loosely mounted there on, if desired, and that the jaw clutch 13 may be formed on the end of the hub as the same results can beaccomplished in this manner; similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed and the specific construction of the wedge 23 may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

The hoisting block here shown and the lifting tackle operable in conjunction therewith, as previously stated, render it comparatively easy to remove and place the plates. The device is therefore not only a time saver but most of all a life saver. Men working around the big ship-yards are to-day not only injured, but often killed, due to the cumbersome and awkward methods employed, this being particularly true in departments where large plates and similar work are handled. Accidents and deaths should be reduced to a minimum in the present instance as the men may stand entirely clear of the lifting tackle when loads are being handled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

l. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin, a second sheave loosely mounted ,on the pin and means for transversely shifting the lastnamed sheave and engaging it with the firstnamed sheave and the sheave pin.

2. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, means for automatically locking the second named sheave to revolve with the pin and the first named sheave, and means for automatically unlocking the second named sheave with relation to the pin and the first named sheave.

3. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin j ournaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, means for locking the second sheave with relation to the constantly driven sheave to cause said second sheave to revolve when lifting a load, and means for automatically releasing the second sheave when it is revolved a predetermined number of revolutions.

4. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, means for locking the second sheave with relation to the constantly driven sheave to cause said second sheave to revolve when lifting a load, means for automatically releasing the second sheave when it is revolved a predetermined number of revolutions, and means for locking the second sheave against reverse movement when released.

5. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly'rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, means for locking the second sheave with relation to the constantly driven sheave to cause said second sheave to revolve when lifting a load, means for automatically releasing the second sheave when it is revolved a predetermined number of revolutions, and means for locking the second sheave against reverse movement when released, said means adapted to be manually released when the hoisting block is relieved of its load.

6. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely iounted and slidable on the pin, a cable attached at one end to the second sheave and having a hook on its free end, means for automatically moving the second sheave into locking engagement with the driving sheave, and means actuated by said cable adapted to automatically release the second sheave.

7. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, a cable attached at one end to the second sheave and having a hook on its free end, means for automatically moving the second sheave into locking engagement with the driving sheave, and means actuated by the cable adapted to automatically release the second sheave, said means comprising a pair of stop members secured onthe cable and adjustable thereon, and a wedge member adapted to impart a lateral movement to the second sheave when engaged by said stop members.

8. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin j ournaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a jaw clutch keyed to the pin and adapted to rotate in unison with the pin and the driving sheave, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, a jaw clutch member carried by said sheave, means for normally maintaining said jaw clutch members in engagement and means for automatically imparting a lateral movement to the second sheave to move the jaw clutch members into or out of engagement.

9. A hoisting block comprising spaced block plates, a sheave pin journaled in said plates, a sheave keyed to the pin and adapted to be constantly rotated while raising or lowering a load, a jaw clutch keyed to the pin and adapted to rotate in unison with the pin and the driving sheave, a second sheave loosely mounted on the pin, a jaw clutch member carried by said sheave, means for normally maintaining said jaw clutch members in engagement, a wedge member slidably mounted adjacent said second sheave and engageable therewith to impart a lateral movement to the second sheave, a cable attached at one end to the sheave and adapted to be wound thereabout, a hook on the free end of the cable and a pair of stop members secured on the cable adapted to move the wedge member into and out of engagement with the sheave.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. COATES.

Witnesses W. W. HEALEY, M. E. EWING. 

